Transgenomic Announces Partnership With Key Genomics for Ovarian Cancer Assay to Guide Therapeut...( Covers Development of Gene Expression...)

Covers Development of Gene Expression Signatures Derived by COXEN Algorithm

as Molecular Test of Responsiveness to Current Treatments

OMAHA, Neb., and CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Transgenomic (OTC Bulletin Board: TBIO) today announced a partnership with Key Genomics to develop a molecular diagnostic test which will guide clinicians in their choice of currently available treatments for ovarian cancer. The new test will be powered by Key Genomics' predictive algorithm, COXEN ("CO-eXpression ExtrapolatioN").

Ovarian cancers are often diagnosed at the advanced stage of disease, after the tumor has spread beyond the ovary. Initial investigation of COXEN-derived genomic signatures in clinical trials has demonstrated that the test can distinguish responders from patients who do not benefit from a therapy. "Getting the patient the best therapeutic option as quickly as possible is a key factor in survival," commented Craig Tuttle, CEO of Transgenomic. "Using this approach, we believe physicians will be able to quickly direct ovarian cancer patients towards appropriate lines of therapy."

Epithelial carcinoma of the ovary is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and the fifth most frequent cause of cancer death in women. In 2008, ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in more than 20,000 women in the United States.(1) Approximately 15,000 women will die from the disease. In the U.S., we spend an estimated $2.2 billion per year to treat ovarian cancer.

The Companies plan to work collaboratively with the goal of improving patient outcomes through personalized medicine. Transgenomics' highly sensitive technologies for DNA mutation detection and analysis are expected to complement and enhance COXEN, which combines genomic and pharmacological response data on a set of widely used cancer cell lines to generate molecular signatures of patient response to specific anti-cancer agents.(2) This innovative test is
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